Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Today I had a chat with ABC reporter Hagar Cohen. A migrant from Israel, she settled in Australia in 2003, studying journalism at UTS and now working as a producer for Radio National programs including Background Briefing. She spoke to me in relation to a story about the role of the mufti of Australia.

Ms Cohen told me about a recent trip to Egypt to film a story on the future of Cairo, Egypt's ancient city on the Nile. The program looks at some of the difficult issues facing the city, especially the increasing segregation of rich and poor residents. This includes the development of "gated communities" and suburbs seeking to replicate American suburbia.

I wonder how much of these problems is replicated in other cities in the Arab and nominally Muslim world.

UPDATE I: The episode of Background Briefing dealing with imams and young Muslims can be seen and heard here.

This superb arts project is put together by a bunch of funky people and is well worth supporting.

‘Across My Bridge’ is an innovative and responsive Beyond Empathy project designed to provide young people from the Muslim community with a ‘stepping stone into the mainstream’ that in 2009 has focused on the needs of young people in Auburn LGA ...

Commencing in January 2008 has utilised an integrated approach to target at-risk youth who as a result of their isolation do not access existing services. ‘Across My Bridge’ introduces arts and community development programs that address critical ‘social dislocaters’ (e.g. cultural isolation, substance abuse, violence, recidivist crime). The project builds alternative pathways for social participation for young people of Muslim background that are experiencing difficulties identifying and integrating in their own immediate community as well as with mainstream culture, creating a safe space to explore their lives and role in the community so they are not left feeling vulnerable and excluded from community. Across My Bridge engages a new generation of young people from the Muslim community, their families, local emerging artists, community support workers and individuals who may be recognised as leaders in their communities ...

The Beyond Empathy (BE) model uses art-based projects (such as visual art, sculpture, music, hip-hop, circus, dance, performance, filmmaking and digital media) to engage young people and introduce alternative approaches, encouraging participants to be able to, in time, recognise their unique place in Australian society. These projects build relationships between young people, support agency staff (e.g. youth services, school, TAFE, AOD support) and the community to work together to address common social issues. The project committee has several community supporters: Michael Christodolou Community Relations Commissioner, Malikeh Michaels-Auburn Councillor and Saeed Khan the originator of the project.

The Across My Bridge project is funded by-the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIaC), Westpac Foundation, Australia Council and Arts NSW. Beyond Empathy has further committed funds and submitted an Expression of Interest for further DiaC(DAP/NAP) funding in 2010.

Endorsement from Robert Spencer

... I can see why Irfan Yusuf got the 2007 Allen & Unwin Iremongeraward for public affairs writing: he's slick.

(Comment on a book review I wrote for The Australian. Mate, you said it. Who am I to argue with you?)

Endorsement from Mr Daniel Pipes

Chronic sectarian bigot ...

A nasty attack by an Australian blogger named Irfan Yusuf has appeared... Yusuf jumps on me ...

(From an update on Mr Pipes' blog dated 21 February 2008. No, Mr Pipes, I would never jump on you. I just don't find you physically attractive!)

Further Endorsement from Mr Daniel Pipes ...

Promoter of the "Obama was a Muslim" smear ...

... should send a signal to responsible media everywhere to decline his tendentious writings.

(I wonder if, by "responsible", he means that tiny fringe of newspapers and websites happy to print his claims that Barack Obama is a Muslim apostate and attended a madressa? Or that wearing a sarong is "a garment associated with Muslims"? Or that extremists make up 10-15% of the Muslim world population? Well, Mr Pipes, I wouldn't want to pollute my reputation by writing for those kinds of media. You can have them all, mate!)